Elite group is perfect 3-for-3 as Semoball Award finalists

There have been only 12 athletes to qualify as finalists every year in the three-year existence of the Semoball Awards.

That distinct group was recognized early during Saturday evening's third installment, which was held at Southeast Missouri State's River Campus.

"These 12 athletes represent 3 percent of the entire finalist pool through three years of the event," Southeast Missourian and semoball.com sports editor Josh Mlot said. "That's the 97th percentile, which is the elite of the elite. It shows not only that they can perform and have a breakout season but that they can sustain that level of performance year after year."

Among the elites are Cape Girardeau Central's Al Young (Football Offense), Saxony Lutheran's Brianna Mueller (Girls Basketball), Jackson's Cassidi Tomsu (Girls Soccer), Advance's Brian Whitson (Golf), Notre Dame's Carly Hopkins (Girls Tennis), Kennett's Hadley Hilburn (Girls Tennis), Morgan McAtee (Girls Swimming), Jackson's Caitlyn Palmer (Girls Swimming), Jackson's Chelsea Drum (Girls Cross Country), Notre Dame's Rudy McClellan (Boys Cross Country), Dexter's MaKayla Waldner (Girls Track & Field) and Jackson's Carson McCord (Wrestling).

"It just seems to keep getting bigger and bigger every year," McCord said. "It just kind of helps out with the athletes to strive to get here."

The event has seen two venue changes in those three years, starting at the Show Me Center its first year and settling into its newest spot along the banks of the Mississippi River and inside the River Campus' Bedell Performance Hall.

"As I was getting ready tonight, I was just thinking, 'Dang, Cape Girardeau has put on such a great awards show for all the athletes around the region.'" Tomsu said. "... It's a really good environment to be a part of."

Prior to this year's two-hour awards show, there was a red-carpet entrance, a plethora of hors d'oeuvres and a live radio show presented by SEMO ESPN radio personalities Todd Bonacki and Erik Sean.

The 12 three-time finalists have witnessed the evolution of the event firsthand.

"Everything just gets better," Mueller said. "It's so cool that Southeast Missouri has something that gives all the credit to all the hard work the high school athletes put in. A lot of the other areas don't do that, so for us to get the recognition for the things that we've accomplished and the goals we've set for ourselves and achieved, I just think that's awesome."

The awards show has had three different keynote speakers, all of whom provided inspirational messages for the student-athletes in attendance.

ESPY Award-winning mixed martial arts athlete Kyle Maynard, a quadruple amputee, provided a last-minute speech in place of St. Louis Cardinals Hall of Famer Ozzie Smith in 2014, Olympic gold medalist Jennie Finch spoke in 2015 and three-time Super Bowl champion Mark Schlereth, an ESPN on-air personality, delivered the message on Saturday.

"All of them have been great and motivational, and I think it's all been great really," Whitson said. "It's just an awesome experience to be here."

Young was one of Saturday's five three-time finalists to receive an award when he was named the Football Offense Athlete of the Year for the second straight year.

The standout wide receiver, who was named the 2015 Male Athlete of the Year, believes he'll carry along memories of the event for as long as he can.

"I'm going to miss it," Young said. "It's cool to have this as a high school student. It's pretty great.

"I'd keep it."